Faridabad: Low capacity of STPs, poor network of sewage lines hinder waste disposal

Tribune News Service

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, June 27

The infrastructure of the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) is proving to be inadequate and underutilised, resulting in poor waste disposal. The functional capacity has been reduced to almost half of the total capacity in view of the poor connectivity of the sewage network and clogged sewage lines in the city, it is reported.

Sources in the civic administration admit the available treatment capacity of less than 200 MLD is too low in comparison to the demand of 350-400 MLD, resulting in improper disposal and dumping of untreated waste into open sources like drains and canals, causing acute water and air pollution. While two of the STPs located at Pratapgarh and Mirzapur village were upgraded at a cost of around Rs 240 crore by the Municipal Corporation Faridabad(MCF), the trial run of these plants is yet to complete. The treatment capacity of these two plants is 180 MLD, these have been treating around 145 MLD at present.

Three other STPs set up or managed by various agencies have also been functioning at lower capacity due to hassles related to poor connectivity of sewer lines or low discharge, according to sources.

The 30 MLD STP at Badshahpur village set by the HSVP at a cost of around Rs 50 crore had been getting only untreated discharge of 15 MLD, it is learnt. Similarly another STP having a capacity of seven MLD in Sector 77 had also been lying almost unused due to supply issue, according to sources.

The STP at Mirzapur village is unlikely to attain full capacity, as the 5 km long sewage pipeline project aimed at bringing the sewage waste of 20 to 25 MLD has been lying incomplete due to non-availability of NOC from the Uttar Pradesh government. The pipeline is to be laid along the Agra canal, a property of the UP government.

“Though the matter has been taken up with bodies like the NGT, the authorities are yet to curb the illegal disposal of sewage and untreated waste into drains which discharge it into Yamuna river,’’ said an official on condition of anonymity. Though the cleaning of the major sewage lines in the city has been taken up by the FMDA, it is likely to take more than a year, he added. “As majority of the densely populated colonies and sectors have choked and blocked sewers, the residents are dependent on the private tanker mafia for cleaning choked sewers and disposing the waste,’’ says Neeraj Sharma, MLA from NIT.

FMDA Chief Engineer Vishal Bansal said cleaning and connectivity work was underway and the problem is likely to be resolved soon. MCF Executive Engineer Nitin Kadian said the upgraded STPs are expected to be fully functional soon.

Infrastructure lying unutilised

• The available treatment capacity of less than 200 MLD is too low in comparison to the demand between 350 and 400 MLD.
• While two of the STPs located at Pratapgarh and Mirzapur village were upgraded at a cost of around Rs 240 crore by the Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF), the trial run of these plants is yet to be completed.
• Three other STPs set up or managed by various agencies have also been functioning at lower capacity due to hassles connected with poor connectivity of sewer lines or low discharge.

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